ArduPilot is great piece of hardware, no doubt. However it comes to its limits, mainly with limited memory, just one serial port, limited connectivity to other peripherals.
So I have idea in my mind about improved setup, which would still use ArduPilot as hardware interface board… Continue

It's still freezing cold outside, so I'm playing by PC with more simulations.
My first UAV is ready to go, for now I hooked by FTDI cable to PC, and checking if everything is OK, before going out to make a real flight.…

Original ArduPilot controls 2 servos (throttle/yaw) by autopilot code or from RC receiver. Other 2 servos are controlled by FMA copilot (or again manually by RC). Although there're servo IN3/4 and servo OUT 3/4 connectors on ArduPilot board, they're at present unused (actually only pass-through control from IN3/4 to OUT3/4 is connected).

Yet there's simple way to control all 4 servos from ArduPilot code, and use other two servos for interesting tasks, such as moving plane's camera… Continue

If you don't like too short connection cable of GPS to ArduPilot, then here's a fix. Longer cable and better connector will solve 2 problems:
- more flexible assembly into a plane
- easier program upload to board (since GPS cable must be disconnected before uploading)

ArduPilot code, modified version for use on Microsoft Visual Studio. Compatibility with Arduino studio still maintained.
Also contains parser of KML files, for importing fly paths drawn in Google Earth.